The regrets I just can't leave behind
by Sango Nanami
Summary: Sasuke Uchiha is diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer. He has only one chance to make things better. will his life be saved? or will he perish with out telling the love of his life how he truely feels?


**THE REGRETS THAT I JUST CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND**

**A story of love, death and unforgotten regrets.**

By Sango Nanami Friday, June 04, 2010

"Don't worry Sasuke, just take some ibuprofen."

"Get a drink of water. That always works for me." ... that was what people said about Sasuke's frequent headaches. He tried ice packs, painkillers, any cure for headaches imaginable. So he finally went to the only medical ninja in the sound village, Kabuto Yakushi. Kabuto immediately recognized the symptoms and Sasuke Uchiha was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer.

"I'm sorry Sasuke but the tumor is inoperable. You have about six months." Kabuto said.

When Sasuke reached his room, he collapsed onto his bed. Trying to figure out how this happened, why to him, was there any hope? The answer was simple; No. There was nothing he could do. No sharingan, medical ninjutsu, or any type of Jutsu could help him now. He was dying. Sasuke looked at the picture next to his bed. It was a picture of when Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura had just become genin when they were twelve. Oh how Sasuke longed for those times to return. He wanted them back so badly! Naruto would be silent, and Sakura would be crying but it would be just so great to see the two of them again. Sakura… he should have been nicer, he should have asked her out just for her happiness. Sasuke realized now that the only thing he wanted was for Sakura to come and tell him that it was going to be okay. But that wasn't going to happen. It was too late. Just at that moment an idea occurred to Sasuke. If he could just get out of the sound village, he could go home and spend his last few months with his friends. In the dead of night, he packed his bags, and started to leave only to be stopped at the village gates by Orochimaru himself.

"And just where do you think you're going?" Orochimaru asked

"I know why you wanted me here, but now I'm of no use to you. Let me go." Sasuke said. Orochimaru, though normally a cruel man, had a soft spot for Sasuke. As he saw the regret in his eyes, Orochimaru stepped aside, shook Sasuke's hand and said only this.

"Goodbye."

The sun rose over the leaf village. Nobody expected Sasuke to come to the gates. When he explained to Tsunade his health condition, and why he was here, she permitted him to stay, but only under high surveillance. Naruto saw Sasuke leaning over the bridge, and staring into the water. Naruto readied himself for battle, but hesitated. Sasuke looked different. He looked paler; there were bags under his eyes, which were red from crying. Naruto walked up to Sasuke and said

"I'm glad you're back."

"Yeah." Sasuke said looking into Naruto's eyes

"Sasuke! I'm… I'm glad you're back." Sakura said.

"Sakura, I've been meaning to do this for a long time." Sasuke said as he embraced Sakura, " I never realized you were my true love until it was too late. I'm sorry."

"Sasuke…" Sakura said, looking into his eyes.

It was three months later. Sasuke looked sicker and sicker by the day. Both Sakura and Tsunade were pouring over every medical book in the village. They didn't stop there. They had just about every medical reference known to man (translated to Japanese of course) sent in from the corners of the earth. Sasuke was the last Uchiha, and in the last three months, he had become a full time ninja again. People liked him. All talk of his traitorism, and how he abandoned the village had all but vanished. The villagers grew to love him, and so did Sakura. They both knew there was no point in getting married because he would be dead in a matter of months but they didn't care. They spent every possible free moment with each other. They took pictures together, went to the best restaurants and never stopped embracing each other.

That one fatefull day in October though… Tsunade had almost finished figuring out a jutsu that would save Sasuke's life. Sasuke and Sakura were holding hands, walking through the park. The leaves colored red, orange, and yellow. There wasn't a dead, brown leaf in sight. The sun was shining, and it was a beautiful, almost completely cloudless day. Suddenly, Sasuke winced in pain from another migraine.

"Sasuke, are you okay? We should go inside." Sakura said.

"No." Sasuke said. But just then another migrane struck, and Sasuke let out a scream of pain. And passed out on the ground.

"Sasuke!" Sakura exclaimed, "Somebody call 911!"

Sasuke was dying in the hospital. He was pronounced, Incurable. It was only a matter of hours now. Sakura was holding his hand, and Ino, Naruto, Gaara, and all the other ninjas who knew Sasuke (including Itachi) came into the room to see him in his final hour. Sasuke opened his eyes.

"Everyone… So I… wasn't alone all this time." Sasuke said, "Thank you my friends. Sakura, I love you." The hart rate monitor flat lined and just like that, Sasuke Uchiha was gone. He had lived as an avenger, but in the end, he was able to atone for the sins he committed before he died.


End file.
